The central idea of the story is the deep suffering and helplessness that innocent people face during war. The old man represents ordinary people who have no role in the conflict but are forced to leave their homes and lives behind. He is tired, alone, and worried about the animals he had to leave. The story shows how war affects not just soldiers, but also peaceful people who only want to live quietly. It highlights the pain of losing everything and the sadness of being left behind with no place to go.
Summary
The story takes place during a war, near a bridge in the countryside of Spain. An old man wearing dusty clothes and steel-rimmed glasses is sitting by the side of the road, too tired to move any further. People are crossing the bridge to escape the advancing enemy, but the old man stays where he is, exhausted.
The narrator, a soldier or scout, is observing the movement of the people and checking how close the enemy has come. He notices the old man still sitting at the same spot when he returns from his duty. Curiously, the narrator talks to the man and learns that he is seventy-six years old and has walked twelve kilometres from his hometown, San Carlos. He had to leave the place because the army told him to evacuate due to the artillery attacks.
The old man had stayed behind in San Carlos to take care of his animals. He tells the narrator that he had two goats, a cat, and four pairs of pigeons. He did not want to leave them, but he had no choice. He worries especially about the goats and the pigeons. He feels that the cat will survive because cats can take care of themselves, and the pigeons might fly away. However, he is unsure what will happen to the goats.
The old man says he has no family and no interest in politics. He seems confused, tired, and emotionally broken. The narrator advises him to get up and try to walk further to where trucks are taking people to safety. The old man tries to stand but is too weak and sits back down in the dust. He repeats that he was only taking care of animals, as if that is all he lived for.
The story ends with the narrator observing the grey, overcast sky on Easter Sunday. The enemy is coming closer, but since the planes are not flying due to the bad weather, there is a small bit of luck. The narrator reflects that the cat’s survival instinct and the cloudy weather are the only bits of fortune the old man has left.
Meaning of the Story
Hemingway uses this short scene to make a powerful point. War destroys more than buildings and armies. It destroys lives, hearts, and hopes. The story teaches us to see the quiet tragedies that often go unnoticed. It reminds us to care for those who are forgotten in times of conflict.
The essay tells a short and powerful story set during a time of war. It shows how war affects not just soldiers but also ordinary, innocent people who are caught in the middle of the conflict. The main character, an old man, is one such victim.
The old man is seventy-six years old and has been forced to leave his hometown, San Carlos, because of the approaching enemy. He has no family and lives a simple life by taking care of animals. These animals, two goats, a cat, and four pairs of pigeons, were all he cared about. They were his only companions and gave meaning to his life.
Now, because of the war, he has had to leave them behind. He walks twelve kilometres and reaches a bridge where many people are crossing to escape danger. But he is too tired to go any further. He sits in the dust, weak and hopeless, while people continue to move past him. He does not know where to go, and he says he has no political side. He only wanted to care for his animals.
The narrator is a soldier or scout who is doing his duty near the bridge. He speaks to the old man and tries to help him, but he knows there is not much he can do. He suggests that the old man walk further and catch a truck to a safer place, but the old man cannot. He tries to stand, but then falls back down. He is physically and emotionally exhausted.
The story ends with the narrator observing the overcast sky on Easter Sunday. The enemy is coming closer. The narrator notes that the weather and the cat's ability to survive are the only good luck the old man has left. This ending shows the sadness and helplessness of the old man's situation.
Understanding
1. What is the significance of Easter Sunday in the story?
2. Why does the narrator change pigeons for doves towards the end of the story?
The narrator may have changed the word to “doves” because doves are often symbols of peace. By calling them doves, he might be thinking about how peace and freedom are being lost in the war. It also adds a sense of innocence and sadness to the animals the old man had to leave behind.
3. Why is the old man more concerned about the animals than about himself?
The old man is more worried about the animals because they are all he had. He stayed behind in his town to care for them. He has no family, and the animals gave meaning to his life. Now that he has left them, he feels helpless and guilty.
4. Why does he think the cat is much better off among all others?
He believes the cat will survive because cats are independent. They can find food, hide, and protect themselves. This gives him some comfort, while he still worries about the other animals that depend on someone to take care of them.
5. What do you think happens to the old man at the end?
At the end, the old man is too weak to continue walking. He stays sitting in the dust, tired and hopeless. Most likely, he does not escape. The story suggests he may be left behind and could die when the enemy arrives. It shows the sad truth of war for those who cannot help themselves.
6. Explain, "I am without politics" (20).
When the old man says, “I am without politics,” he means he is not involved in the war or political matters. He does not support any side. He is just an old man who took care of animals. He does not understand or care about the reasons for the war.
7. What is the theme of the story?
The main theme of the story is the suffering of innocent people during war. It shows how war destroys lives, even of those who are not part of the fighting. It also explores loneliness, displacement, and the emotional pain of losing everything one loves.
Rhetoric/Language/Writing
1. How is the narrator portrayed in the story?
The narrator is shown as a thoughtful and observant person. He is a soldier doing his duty during the war, but he still cares about the old man. He asks questions kindly and tries to help him. He feels sorry for the old man but knows there is little he can do.
At the beginning, the tone is serious and focused, as the narrator is watching the movement of people and the war situation. By the end, the tone becomes sad and hopeless. The old man cannot go on, and the narrator feels helpless.
The old man talks about the animals because they were his only family and purpose. Caring for them gave his life meaning. Now that he has left them, he feels empty and lost. He keeps talking about them because he cannot stop worrying about what will happen to them.
4. Why does the author say, "and the old man still sat there" (11)?
This line shows that while everything around him is moving, the old man remains stuck. It shows his deep tiredness, both in body and in spirit. It also shows that he has no plan and no strength left to escape the danger.
The old man symbolises the innocent people who suffer during war, especially the poor and the elderly. The bridge is meaningful because it represents a crossing from danger to safety, or from life to death. The old man sits at the bridge but cannot cross it, showing his helplessness.
The setting is a place where people are fleeing from war. It is dusty, grey, and full of fear. The setting adds to the sad and serious mood of the story. It also helps show the danger the old man faces and the chaos of war.
The writer shows that the enemy is advancing, and the old man is too tired to move. He has no one and nowhere to go. The mention of artillery and the narrator's silence about any hope for return suggest that the town may already be lost or destroyed.
8. Bring out the irony of the story?
The irony is that the old man stayed behind to protect his animals, but in the end, he had to leave them anyway. He escaped the town, but now he cannot escape the war. Also, though the narrator wants to help, he cannot truly save the old man. The old man is caught between two sides of the war without understanding any of it, and there is no peace for him even on Easter Sunday, a day that normally brings hope.
Discussion
1. What does the story suggest about the consequences of armed struggle?
The story shows that armed struggle causes great pain and loss to innocent people. It forces them to leave their homes and the things they love. People like the old man, who are not involved in politics or fighting, still suffer deeply. The war brings fear, confusion, and helplessness to those who have no control over what is happening.
The story ends on a note of despair. The old man is too weak to go on, and there is no one to help him. The weather and the cat’s ability to survive are the only small signs of luck, but they do not change the old man's situation. He is left behind, tired and alone, with no future. These lines show that he is unlikely to survive, and the narrator cannot save him. This creates a feeling of sadness and hopelessness.
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